Should I take the vaccine?

Hello,
I've been invited to take a vaccine. I'm most likely not going to have severe symptoms for COVID since I'm young and don't have any underlying health problems, but I'm a key worker so I've been invited. I hate anti-vaccine people as I have studied how vaccines are effective and know they can hellp a lot of people. However, I'm reluctant to have the vaccine myself because I find it crazy how they made a vaccine so quickly, and days/weeks after the vaccine the COVID deaths are increasing at a rate never seen before; UK has the worst infection rate of COVID per million people, even though we have the biggest vaccine rollout in the world. I know the vaccination really has no effect on infection rate, but I still can't figure out how deaths are still increasing weeks after many old people have been vaccinated.
Additionally, has the vaccines really been tested properly? What if in the future there is a side effect we haven't noticed yet since it's still really early days of vaccines. In the future, they might create more effective and less dangerous vaccines. I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist but these sorts of things are stopping me from taking the vaccine.
Any advice?

Reply 1

Drewski

The infection rates are amongst those who haven't been vaccinated.

We've only given a first dose to ~4m people. There are ~70m in this country. Of course there are still going to be infections...

Take the vaccination. Don't buy into the nonsense and conspiracy garbage.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Original post by Drewski

You have a point, but those 4 million people are the most vulnerable yet the rate of deaths is increasing. Is the vaccine really as effective as it sounds? Do you think they will create a better, more effective vaccine in the near future?

Reply 3

Drewski

Original post by Anonymous

They are among the most vulnerable, they are not the only ones.

Reply 4

ReadingMum

I am sure there will be refinement over time - just like for the flu jab. In the meantime you will get the best currently available protection by having the current jab.

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

Original post by Drewski

They are among the most vulnerable, they are not the only ones.

Original post by ReadingMum

I am sure there will be refinement over time - just like for the flu jab. In the meantime you will get the best currently available protection by having the current jab.

And what if there is an unknown side effect that we do not know about yet? For example, the tragic event which happened in the 1960s with the drug thalidomide.

Reply 6

Pathway

I think it's in your best interest and for the people you work with to have it. The reason why it was able to get done so quick was money, effort and a huge amount of volunteers. There's no reason to believe that this vaccine will have poor long-term outcomes (no current research suggests this!), but the long-term effects of COVID on even healthy people can be horrific to deal with.

Reply 7

Anonymous #2

How has a vaccine been made so quickly?
1) Unprecedented amounts of investment from governments around the world into the research
2) The fact that the whole world is stuck waiting for a vaccine has focused resources/ effort towards this one goal.

The vaccine still has to pass the usual checks, which involve multiple tests on groups of people. Could they have missed something? Yes. Is this incredibly unlikely? Yes.

I think you have answered your own question with respect to how deaths are still increasing. A vaccine stops people being infected and there is a time delay for immunity + need 2nd does , if you are already infected a rollout will have no impact for you and likely if you are <60 then you will be in contact with very few vaccinated individuals. The combination if the new strain, relaxed Xmas restrictions and just people having to shop/ work etc. all lead to a high increase in infection. We are now seeing those results as the far higher numbers being hospitalised.

Perhaps they will create a “more effective and less dangerous vaccine”, most likely they will create a cheaper one in the future.

In short, I’d say that assuming you don’t believe that Bill gates is going to control you with the vaccine or some other bs, it is a very easy decision to take.

Would you like to accept a minuscule risk to protect yourself and others, or not?

Reply 8

Anonymous #2

Original post by Anonymous

And what if there is an unknown side effect that we do not know about yet? For example, the tragic event which happened in the 1960s with the drug thalidomide.

It has been thoroughly checked in trials and standards will have increased since then. It could happen again, equally you could get coronvirus, infect your family, watch them die and die yourself.

Both are possibilities.

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

Original post by Anonymous

I'm in my early 20's so the chances of me being affected would be extremely slim; I don't mean to sound arrogant but it's true, and if I do get the vaccine it doesn't stop me from spreading it. However, I have read your previous post and your arguments are reasonable. I guess I'll have to think about taking it once more.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

Just a question- how many of you guys have been vaccinated for covid?

Reply 11

Pathway

Original post by Anonymous

Just a question- how many of you guys have been vaccinated for covid?

I've not been vaccinated yet, I have my appointment next week.

Reply 12

ReadingMum

I am a long way down the priority list but I will be there as soon as I get invited to an appointment. My uncle is currently in ICU at Stoke Mandeville with a significant chance that he won't live.

Reply 13

Bexjw

Had my first dose yesterday. I’m a strong advocate for people getting the vaccination, especially if you’re working with vulnerable people. I’m young, I have no underlying health conditions and I’ve had COVID. I couldn’t live with myself if my patients ended up getting COVID because I was a carrier and passed it on. I take every precaution necessary and the vaccine is one of those. It’s not going to dramatically go away over night but being vaccinated is a step in the right direction and light at the end of the tunnel. This past year has been excruciating to work through. Far too many colleagues and patients have died.